Welcome to Railtrail Tours
A family firm with an ethos of honesty and integrity. Our passion for delivering quality escorted holidays by rail at great value fares along with consistently excellent customer service has stood us in good stead for over 40 years.
Big on Quality, Small Enough to Care
01538 382323
Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm
Our new unique Grand Tour by Rail is packed full of seaside charm, heritage steam railways and stunning coastal vistas. Join us as we take a trip down memory lane and journey along the stunning south coast staying in Kent, Dorset and Devon visiting many of our favourite nostalgic attractions.
View Dates & Book10 days from £1769
DEPARTS
Tuesday 10 May 2022
Friday 16 September 2022
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Discover the beautiful and contrasting coastlines of Kent, Dorset, and Devon
Ride the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Heritage Railway
Uncover the secret Wartime Tunnels at Dover Castle
Take a tour, beer tasting & lunch at Britains oldest brewery
Climb aboard historic warships
Explore the ancient streets of Canterbury
Enjoy a scenic tour by vintage bus on the Isle of Wight
Travel back in time on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
Hop on board the Purbeck Breezer and admire the coastal vistas
Journey on the nostalgic Swanage Railway
Visit the picturesque fishing town of Brixham
Relax on a scenic Dartmouth River cruise
Steam along the English Riviera coastline on the South Devon Steam Railway
Also included in your Tour Fare:
Dinner every evening plus, 1 lunch
Rail travel & seat reservations from your Home Station to Tour Base (Standard or First Class)
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager
DAY 1
For those booking rail travel with us, we arrive in Ashford and transfer to our hotel for three nights, the Ashford International Hotel. You may wish to relax in the hotel's leisure club ahead of dinner this evening in the hotel restaurant.
DDAY 2
This morning we travel to Hythe for a journey on the superb Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway - the world's smallest public railway (15" gauge). The exhilarating journey takes us to Dungeness where we meet our coach and continue to Dover Castle. Here we step inside the Great Tower and immerse ourselves in the history of this great castle before enjoying a unique visitor experience in the Secret Wartime Tunnels where the dramatic rescue operation of the 1940's 'Miracle of Dunkirk' is vividly bought to life. We take a fascinating tour of the atmospheric WW2 Underground Hospital before returning to our hotel.
DAY 3
We travel to Chatham Historic Dockyard this morning and discover 400 years of history as we explore the architecture, historic warships and people that shaped British maritime innovation, engineering, and design. Following our visit, we continue to the Shepherd Neame Brewery where we enjoy a guided tour, tasting and brewer's lunch. We conclude our day in the ancient city of Canterbury, dominated by its stunning cathedral, the oldest in England. We can explore the extraordinary atmospheric streets and many boutique shops before returning to Ashford.(
B, L, DDAY 4
We commence our transfer day travelling by private coach to the attractive village of Tenterden for a return steam train journey on the Kent & East Sussex Railway along their picturesque route to Bodiam and return. We continue aboard our private coach to Hastings where we enjoy free time for lunch before we head to Hastings station to board our train via Brighton and Southampton to Bournemouth and transfer to our hotel for the next three nights.
B, DDAY 5
Transferring to Lymington, we join the Wightlink ferry to transport us the short distance to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. Our vintage coach awaits, for a scenic ride along the western side of the island, around the southern tip to Shanklin. We take the Island Line service to Smallbrook Junction. Due to the low ceiling of Ryde Tunnel towards the northern end of the 8 mile stretch of track, normal size trains cannot operate on the island, which led to the Island Line using refurbished London Underground trains. At Smallbrook Junction we switch onto the nostalgic Isle of Wight Steam Railway, crossing the island's heart through picturesque countryside to Wootton. Returning from Wootton to the railway's Haven Street station, we transfer by vintage coach to Yarmouth for our ferry and transfer back to Bournemouth.
B, DDAY 6
Today we hop on board our Purbeck Breezer Bus at Bournemouth and travel along the coastal road past the stunning multi-million pound properties of Sandbanks and via the short ferry crossing to the Isle on Purbeck and before reaching our destination of Swanage. During our time in Swanage we enjoy a return journey on the nostalgic Swanage Railway, which operates along six miles of track from Swanage past the magnificent ruins of Corfe Castle. We return to Bournemouth via the Purbeck Breezer bus and enjoy dinner at the hotel.
B, DDAY 7
After breakfast we commence our transfer to Torquay travelling by train along the scenic route from Bournemouth to Weymouth where our private coach awaits to transfer us into Devon and the seaside resort of Seaton. Here we board our private heritage tram for a delightful return journey on the famous Seaton Tramway along the former railway branch line. After a lunchtime break, we re-board our private coach continuing westwards to Exmouth. From Exmouth we travel by local train for one of England's great railway journeys alongside the River Exe to Exeter before joining the mainline along the famous coastal route through Dawlish and onto Torquay and our hotel for the next three nights.
B, DDAY 8
Our morning is free to relax in beautiful Torquay or independently explore the stunning English Riviera. Perhaps visit the neighbouring town of Babbacombe, famed for cliff railway built in 1926 and model village. In the afternoon we reconvene to take the short ferry ride across the bay to the small fishing town of Brixham, home of the 'Golden Hind' replica of the iconic Tudor ship.
B, DDAY 9
We travel by steam train alongside the English Riviera coastline to Churston, then on through the wooded slopes of Long Wood bordering the Dart Estuary to Kingswear. We take a short ferry crossing to the historic resort of Dartmouth where there is free time for some sightseeing and a gentle circular river cruise viewing Bayards Cove, Kingswear and Dartmouth Castles, Britannia Royal Naval College, Dittisham Village and Sir Walter Raleigh's Boathouse. We return by steam train to Paignton and onwards to our hotel.
B, DDAY 10
Bidding farewell to the beautiful South Coast we make our way homeward.
BB=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
HOTELS
Ashford International Hotel, Ashford
The 4-star Ashford International Hotel is conveniently located for visiting the many attractions that Kent has to offer. The modern en-suite bedrooms are decorated in a contemporary style and offer TV, tea & coffee making facilities and free Wi-Fi. The hotel has a stylish restaurant and comfortable bar plus, a superb leisure club with gym, Jacuzzi, swimming pool, sauna, and steam room. Single travellers have sole occupancy of a double room.
Best Western Carlton Hotel (May) & Best Western East Cliff Hotel(September) Bournemouth
Located on Bournemouths famous East Cliff the 4-star Best Western Carlton and 3-star Best Western East Cliff offer dramatic views across the bay and are just a 15 minute stroll along the seafront from the shops and pier. The hotels offer restaurant with wonderful sea views, bar, outdoor swimming pool with sun loungers surrounded by gardens. The Carlton Hotel also offers indoor swimming pool, gym, and sauna which guests at the East Cliff can also use. The en-suite bedrooms all feature free Wi-Fi, TV and tea & coffee making facilities. Single travellers have sole occupancy of a double room.
The Livermead House Hotel, Torquay
The elegant 3-star Livermead House Hotel was built in 1820 and has a picturesque seafront location. It is ideally situated just a short walk from the train station and a level walk along the promenade to Torquay town centre. The Livermead House offers a traditional flavour, outstanding sea views and high standards of cuisine. There is free Wi-Fi in all public areas. The hotel has lovely gardens with seating and an outdoor swimming pool plus, snooker room, squash court, gym, indoor bowls, and sauna.
FARES
Fare Region | First* | Standard |
London: Euston | £1,955 | £1,889 |
Greater London | £1,945 | £1,889 |
South of England | £2,015 | £1,915 |
East Anglia | £1,985 | £1,929 |
South West | £1,945 | £1,889 |
Heart of England | £2,029 | £1,939 |
Midlands | £2,149 | £1,969 |
Yorkshire | £2,189 | £2,015 |
North East | £2,229 | £2,035 |
North West | £2,215 | £1,999 |
South Wales | £2,109 | £1,949 |
North Wales | £2,185 | £1,989 |
Scotland | £2,259 | £2,055 |
*Please note: Some local and regional train services are Standard Class only, so First Class ticket holders will travel in standard class accommodation for these sections of journeys.
Join & Leave at Hotels £1799
£30 tour discount for holders of National Railcards
Single Room Supplement £265
9 nights bed, breakfast & Table dhôte evening meal plus 1 lunch
Rail travel & seat reservations from your Home Station to Tour Base (Standard or First Class)
Rail & coach travel, with transfers as described
All excursions and admissions as detailed
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager
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